Antitheft device for motor-cars.



I. W. PARKIN.

ANTITHEFT DEVICE FOR MOTOR CARS.

APPLlCATlON FILED DEC-3| 1915- Patented J an. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

.I. W. PARKIN.

ANTITHEFT DEVICE FOR MOTOR CARS.

" APPLICATION FILED DEC.8. 191s.

1',213,2%.' I Patenfed Jan."23,1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. PARKIN, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANTITHEF'I' DEVICE FOR MOTOR-CARS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. PARKIN, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and

State 'of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antitheft Devices for Motor-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to anti-theft devices for vehicles, such as automobiles and the like. It is primarily adapted for use on vehicles having hydrocarbon engines, but it-may also be applied to those using steam or other fluid motive power.

One of the primary objects of my invention is the provision of a simple and novel locking attachment which may bereadily installed on standard engines, and which, when once attached, is securely held in place against tampering. My invention also contemplates the provision of a novel device of the character described which is adapted to cut off the supply of motive fluid at a point adjacent the engine, in such position as to require the disconnecting of parts of the inotor when attempting to remove or injure the device. Stated in other words, the device is so arranged and located as to require the breaking of the line of fuel supply at a point between the engine and the source of supply.

The foregoing, together with such other objects as may hereinafter appear or are incident to my invention, I obtain by means of a construction, the preferred embodiment of which I have shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a manifold and a carbureter for an automobile engine, showing the application thereto of my improvement; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device, ready for installation; Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. F2 on the line III-III and illustrates a detail of the invention; Fig. 4 shows a modified form of my improvement in which the valvular means and locking device employed are combined with the inlet manifold of the motor itself instead of being mounted with the separate plate attached to the inlet mani fold; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line VV of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the valvular device and locking means; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6..

I have shown my improvement as applied Specification of Letters Patent.

to the gas engine of an automobile, as best illustrating its use and advantages. .The usual form of safety device used on automobiles is a switch on'the dash board which is locked in a neutral'position by means of a key. This form of safety device is very convenient, but is of little real service because its purpose can be defeated by simply lifting the hood of the car and disconnecting the ground wires of the electrical ignition, after which the car can be driven off. Another anti-theft device is a cut-oifplug valve which is placed in the gas line under the flooring, to the rear of the dash. The valve is equipped with a lock and key and is accessible through the flooring. This form of safety device may be rendered valueless by cutting the gas line on eitherside and connecting across with a rubber tube or the like, after which the car can be driven off. My improved device is far more proof against tampering, and is at the same time simple and convenient.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the numeral 7 indicates the usual manifold which leads to the cylinders (not shown) of the engine, to the flange 8 of which it is the practice to attach the carbureter 9 by means of the bolts 10 and nuts 11,

the bolts passing through the flange 8 of her, the gasolene is drawn into the mixing.

chamber 13'and is there comminged with Patented Jan. 23, 1917. Application filed December 8, 1915. Serial No. 65,662. I I

air, the explosive mixture thus formed being drawn through the manifold 7 into the cylinders. My invention comprises a device which may be inserted between the flanges 8 and 12, of the manifold-7 and the carbureter 9, respectively, and which is adapted to completely close off communication between the carbureter and the manifold,-

' thereby preventing the drawing of the con-.

tents of the carbureter into the manifold.

The device comprises a flat body portion 16, which can be made relatively thin, but

which is shown for purposes of illustration as being quite substantial. The body portion 16 is provided with a central opening 17 which is of substantially the same size as the manifold and the mixing chamber, and

with a pair of bolt holes 18 adapted to aline with the holes formed in the flanges 8 and or other material.

12, .so that the bolts 10 may be passed through to fasten on the carbureter. Inasmuch as the carbureter must be removed from time to time for cleaning or repairing I provide means for fastening the device to the end of the manifold. This means comprises the screws 19 which pass through the holes 20 of the body 16 and are threaded into the flange 8, the holes 20 being countersunk so that the heads of the screws may be plugged over by an inlay 21 of solder It will be readily seen that it is impossible to detach the device without the use of special tools and at the expense of considerable time and labor.

' Mounted in the opening 17 is a'butterfly valve 22, the stem 23 of which is carried in the body 16 and rotatable with the barrel 24 mounted in the sleeve 25 formed interally with the body 16. The barrel 24 orms a part of a lock of any preferred type and can e turned from closed position only by means of a key 26. To prevent the accidental closing of the butterfly valve 22, once it has been rotated to open position, I provide a plurality of depressions 27 at the end of the stem 23,which depressions are adapted to be engaged by a ball normally held in advanced position by the spring 29. The spring is retained in position by the screw 30, which may also be utilized as a means for adjusting the tension of the spring. This forms asimple and convenient means for holding the valve in openposition. When the car is to be left standing, the operator, by means of the key 26, turns the safety device to closed position, and then removes the key.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 to -7 inclusive, I have applied myinvention to the inlet manifold itself, which requires of course a manifold of special construction indicated in the drawing at 7 but which eliminates the need of the special flange 16 as in the arrangement shown in these Figs.

4 to 7 the lock barrel 25 with the butterfly valve 22 is placed within the passage 7 b of the inlet manifold and the connecting chamber 25, from which of course it cannot be removed without destroying the operativeness of the apparatus.

It will be seen from the foregoingthat the'device is as proof against tampering as it is possible to make a lock and key device; and that the ordinary methods of "rrendering a safety device ineffective cannot be successfully carried out, because of the impassibility of gettin fuel to the engine save by the removal 0 the carbureter, the destruction of the safety device, and the replacement of the carbureter, or by the disconnecting of the carbureter and the mani-' fold and the substitution of a new manifold.

These advantages are obtained by placing in safety lock of the character described comprising in combination a body portion adapted to be inserted in a joint in a line of fuel supply and having means for attachment to one part of the line, said attaching means adapted to be permanently secured against removal, the said body portion being provided with an opening to permit the passage of fuel therethrough, a valvular member adapted to control the flow of fuel, locking means for locking said valvular member in closed position, and means releasably holding said valvular member in open position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

JOSEPH W. PARKIN. 

